Shopping near Orlando

I really liked the shopping mall on International Drive near the I4 Junction 64 exit. It was full of the latest trendy shops and boutique stores. Ideal for international and local people. Admittedly the pound is a little weaker than a few years ago so it meant that things were a little more expensive than hoped. That said Levi's were good value and GAP had a lot on offer. In terms of sports wear, shoes and other incidental items. I'd probably suggest buying a pair.

Now we did try to find 'Florida Mall' on South Orange Blossom Trail but missed it. Probably the best route to take to find it, is to join the 528 Expressway (toll road) then pull off onto South Orange Blossom Trail.

Downtown Disney

Now i am a fan of Downtown Disney. If you haven't been try to imagine a place where there are bars, restaurants and shops all within the Disney theme. Parking is free which is nice and it is very close to the main centre. The views of the Lake as you arrive is impressive and you can hire a speed boat to go out onto the Lake, nice if you feel like catching a bit of sun!

The shops are also good fun, they have everything you need from Disney, especially the costumes for small children. There were loads of kids having face paint put on or trying on their 'Tinkerbell' outfits - cute.

What i also liked was one of the sports retailers that you can have custom made base ball bats made right there. Good if you play!

As for restaurants, there was a nice italian right by the huge paddle steamer moored by the quay. The food was good, probably a bit more expensive that other fast food outlets, but to be honest ideal if you feel like a relaxing meal.

There are plenty of hotels nearby so again it is ideal for visitors who are staying nearby. One of the shops/ restaurants has huge fish tanks, with loads of tropic and exotic fish.

Overall, would recommend a visit to Downtown Disney any day!

Disney is great, how about Universal?

Well, i have to admit, we went to Universal Studios too! Ok, it wasn't as good as Disney world, but there again, it did have quite a lot of new rides and what looked like new Harry Potter rides too. So i guess Disney has a bit of work to do in terms of upgrading or building new rides? Apparently the Universal Harry Potter ride opens the same day that Disney launches Toy Story 3. So fan's of both are going to have an action packed week!

Anyway, i really enjoyed Revenge of the Mummy ride, it was scary yet, entertaining. I found the whole experience good fun. In that particular park, some of the other rides like Twister or even the Simpson's were good, but to be honest relied quite heavily on the virtual reality side of things which was a little boring after a while and felt kind of cheap.

I know not everyone likes a whirly ride, twisting and turning, but i guess for those of us who love a good stomach churning sitting and watching tv is a tad boring.

Jaws was good, although a bit predictable - (i hope i don't side like a killjoy) ok the model shark was huge.

Universal was relatively easy to find off Interstate 4 (I4) i think it was Junction 75? Make sure you don't take a wrong turn when you leave though (like we did) otherwise you may end up driving up and down the Interstate. Best to make sure you plan your journey if going by car.

Day trip

If you feel like having a break from Disney World then you might like to consider the Titanic museum over on International Drive. Personally, i thought it was really interesting. You turn up on to what looks like a giant warehouse and upon entry go through the shop. It costs around $20 per person, usually tours last around just under an hour and your guide is typically an Irishman to add to the effect - it worked!

Tomorrowland is best

I really enjoyed space mountain. It was worth the wait and to be honest quite surreal at times, it was pitch black inside so you never know when the roller-coaster is about to drop, twist or turn. Cool if you like rides. I found the buzz light year ride also quite fun, a bit like the Men In Black MIB ride in Universal Studios, you have to shoot all the 'baddies' with your fixed laser gun on your moving buggy. It is quite fun and difficult because the laser doesn't always aim where you want it.

That said, i didn't go on the Tomorrowland speedway, apparently there was an accident there the week after we got back. I couldn't really understand how that happened because those cars are fixed on the track and they hardly move fast at all?

Anyhow, the Toy Story ride was fun, and i'm delighted to see Toy Story 3 is coming out on the 18th June. Hopefully the Disney executives will keep to the original style and not try to be too clever..

Swiss Family Treehouse

Didn't manage to get on that walk, it did look fun though and if anything like the movie would have been great. Instead we went on the Jungle Cruise, which was actually quite funny. Lots of animals and head hunters, albeit dummies in costumes, still entertaining enough though.

The Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was a good little ride, queues weren't that long and on a sunny day the views are reasonably good. Mind you, it does move quite fast so you may find the rind over before you start. I'm a fan of water rides, but generally not if you get wet. Ok, that may sound silly, but the reality is you don't want to spend an entire day at a theme park totally wet? So we gave Splash Mountain a miss. Albeit on this occasion only.

The Liberty Square riverboat ride is good fun. Relaxing and just a simple ride around the island on a large old fashioned boat. Seating is limited we found, so if you do need a seat probably best to get there early. But after a hectic day of rides, rides and more rides it is a good way to unwind.

The Haunted Mansion is good fun, on the way in we saw little kids crying, i was surprised because i didn't think it was that scary, but hey i'm an adult what do i know? The moving conveyor belt takes you to a moving car that seats two people. Once in it takes you around the Mansion, in pretty much darkness and there are some quite spooky moments. I enjoyed that one. Queues do get big so probably better to do this ride earlier in the day.

'its a small world' is a weird ride personally, some people like it, i didn't. I found it actually quite boring if i'm honest. We nearly went on Peter Pan's magic flight but the queue was massive so we headed on over to hang out with Buzz Lightyear -now that was fun!

Magic Kingdom day out

We decided to get up early and beat the traffic and the queues for Disney world's Magic Kingdom. So arrived at around 8:30am in the morning, plenty of time to buy tickets and get past security. Parking was a little like that of Universal Studios, relatively straight forward, just follow directions. It costs $14, but that's not too bad for a whole day's parking.

Once we had our tickets, we walked up to the mono rail, there is also a boat you can take if you prefer a more leisurely trip across the lake to the main entrance. The rail takes around 5 to 10 minutes max to reach your destination. Views are pretty impressive with the lakes spanning either side, plenty of lush greenery and in one instance we pass a Disney hotel, to only then literally 'go through' the inside of another Disney Hotel, quite cool.

Once you arrive, everyone is shepherded off the train, to the main entrance, bags checked quickly once more and there you are - at the entrance of Magic Kingdom. It looks really nice, the entrance is smart and kind of magical. When you pick up a copy of the park map, you quickly realise that it is a big place and there's going to be a lot to see.

The main 'high street' when you enter is full of shops, restaurants and people playing music or signing. It is really friendly and it is true to say 'a bit of escapism'. We'll return for a bite later, but right now we're looking to head straight down to the Pirates of the Caribbean ride off to your left as you move through the park. It is still a fun ride, slightly old in comparison to the Disneyland Paris one, but still quite funny and entertaining to pass through as you sit on your boat.

There are plenty of opportunities to take photos and video clips of the Kingdom. And we found people in America always seem happy to help. Something i think is a very strong trait and to be welcomed. Other rides to continue..